Cheat sheet advance of Wolf Pack-Cal Poly, including keys to the game and a prediction

Here are the probable starters, keys to the game and a prediction for the Wolf Pack basketball team's game against Cal Poly on Tuesday at Lawlor Events Center.

CAL POLY at NEVADA

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Lawlor Events Center

Radio/TV: 94.5 FM/None

PROBABLE STARTERS

Cal Poly (3-3)

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG/RPG/APG

Jamal Johnson G 6-0 170 Jr. 4.0/1.7/4.2

Dylan Royer G 6-1 190 Sr. 10.0/1.5/1.0

Chris O'Brien G 6-4 210 Sr. 5.2/2.5/3.0

Chris Eversley F 6-7 225 Jr. 16.3/7.5/2.0

Brian Bennett F 6-9 240 Fr. 10.5/5.0/0.7

Nevada (5-4)

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG/RPG/APG

Deonte Burton G 6-1 190 Jr. 20.0/2.4/3.0

Malik Story G 6-5 215 Sr. 16.7/3.3/2.1

Jordan Burris G 6-7 200 Jr. 6.7/3.6/1.7

Cole Huff F 6-8 205 Fr. 6.4/4.8/0.9

Kevin Panzer F 6-9 225 Jr. 6.0/4.8/0.3

Deonte Burton and the Wolf Pack hope to spring off the victory over Washington with another win Tuesday night against Cal Poly. (U.S. Presswire)

FOUR KEYS TO THE GAME

1. 3-point success: Cal Poly has one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, with a big part of that success coming from the 3-point line, where the Mustangs hit almost 40 percent. Nevada’s 3-point defense has been substandard this year (the Pack allows opponent to hit 41.3 percent from three). Nevada’s 3-point defense has to improve.

2. Create turnovers: The biggest reason Nevada upset Washington last week (outside of having Deonte Burton) was the Pack’s ability to create turnovers with its smaller, quicker lineup. Nevada would like to continue that trend, but Cal Poly averages just 8.5 turnovers per game, the second-fewest of the 347 Division I teams.

3. Pace of play: Going hand in hand with creating turnovers is the pace of play. Cal Poly averages just 59.7 possessions per game, one of the lowest numbers in the NCAA. The Wolf Pack averages 70 possessions per game and wants an even quicker pace with its smaller lineup. The faster the game, the more it benefits Nevada.

4. Battle down low: The strength of Cal Poly is forwards Chris Eversley (16.3 pg, 7.5 rpg) and Brian Bennett (10.5 ppg, five rpg). Those two will create a nice matchup for the Wolf Pack’s post pairing of Devonte Elliott and Kevin Panzer, who are now splitting time at center. Coach David Carter wants more consistency from those two.

PREDICTION

Murray says: Cal Poly has one big win (over then-No. 11 UCLA) but its other two victories have come against teams that have yet to beat a D-I school (Northern Colorado and Menlo College). The UCLA victory shows that the Mustangs are dangerous, but Cal Poly also has some deficiencies on defense and rebounding. This is the kind of team that isn’t going to make a lot of mistakes. If Cal Poly is able to slow down the game it could spring the upset, but the hunch is Nevada rides the momentum of beating Washington to another win. Nevada 75, Cal Poly 68

About this blog

Longtime RGJ Media reporter Dan Hinxman is the authority on Wolf Pack athletics, bringing you the day-to-day coverage of Nevada’s sports teams. Dan has covered almost everything the Northern Nevada sports scene has to offer and will use his knowledge to bring you authoritative and engaging Wolf Pack content. Follow him on Twitter at @DanHinxmanRGJ.